Love May Be Blind
by Neville Foreville
Summary: Ron and Hermione are starting to figure out what is going on with their relationship, but can nosy Muggle neighbors complicate things for Ron?
1. Chapter 1

~*~*~*~*~*~  
Love May Be Blind...

Ron and Hermione exited the Muggle movie theater and made their way down Main Street. The town was rather quiet, but neither of them cared, because they were too caught up in the time they were spending together, they could not focus on anything else.

Ron took Hermione's hand as they walked around the street. All of the shops were closing, and the Christmas lights were out. Hermione talked about the town and all of the different things that had happened there when she was a little girl. Ron didn't care how much she talked, as long as she just kept talking. He could listen to her talk for hours, for days, or for years. He loved her so much.

"Did you know that this town has had three wizards come from it?" Hermione asked.

"Really?" Ron asked. "I didn't think that many wizards could come from a town this size? I mean, do you know any of the other wizards?"

"I know one of them. He is eight years older than us, and he was my neighbor. He saw when the owl came and gave me my letter, and then when McGonagall came and told us about it, then it turned out that he had just left Hogwarts, and he went to our community church. How odd is that?"

"Really, I mean, I have never been without wizards around me, but I thought that when Muggles had magic, like you, then there aren't that many around where they live. What I am trying to say is that I never really thought that there would be three Muggle-borns in one town. That is very cool, Mione."  
Hermione nodded. "Come on, I want you to see the park in the snow at dusk, it is so beautiful!"

She led him by the hand into the park. The snow had gently coated everything, and he thought that it was the most beautiful scene that he had ever seen. The merry-go-round was the center of the park, and Hermione squealed when she saw it. She pulled him over to it and got on.

"Push me, Ron!" she cried as she held on. Ron looked around to make sure that no one was around, and pulled out his wand. He enchanted the merry-go-round to spin around as long as there were no Muggles in the area. He ran and jumped on the spinning toy and hugged Hermione close to him. They smiled at each other and Ron leaned forward and kissed her. She smiled up at him again as she pulled out her wand to stop the spinning.

"If I didn't stop it soon, you would have my vomit all over you," Hermione laughed.

Ron smiled at her but nodded, because, he too, was feeling as though he were going to vomit. Hermione lifted herself off of the merry-go-round onto the snow. She ran over to the swing set and started to pump her legs. Ron joined her on another swing.

"When I was little," Hermione said, "I would pretend that I was flying when I was on a swing, and then I found out that I was a witch, and when I would fly on a broom, which, believe me, was not an easy task, I would feel like a little girl again, swinging high in the air, feeling as though nothing could touch me."

"I know the feeling. I feel the same way every time I even watch someone fly. Every time I watch Harry fly, I get super jealous. I feel like I should be the better flyer, because I have grown up in a flying home, but I know that no matter what I want, he will always be better than I am. He will always be better with everything."

"You are better at understanding."

"What is that supposed to mean, Mione?"

"Well, you are better at knowing what battles to fight, and you are better at understanding people when no one else believes with them. Like when no one believed Harry, you were always there, even when he didn't want you to be, or when he didn't appreciate it. That is what I love about you."

Ron smiled at her. He knew that she was right. He was normally always there. He was glad that someone noticed.

Hermione slowed with her swinging, and stood from the swing. "Let's walk."

Ron nodded and took her hand again. They walked from the park back to Main Street.

"How did you like the movie we saw?" Hermione asked him.

"It was interesting. It almost reminded me a little bit about Harry and Ginny if you thought about it in the right way." He remembered the movie and the emotions that it played with. It made him remember when his little sister was so obsessed with Harry, and when, no matter how much he didn't see her, she would never give up. After the characters realized that there was something there, they were inseparable. This made Ron think about how in their sixth year, Harry and Ginny were always together, and how whenever anyone would see one or the other alone, they would have to look twice to make sure that they didn't see the wrong thing. The characters continued to grow closer and closer until they ultimately got married. Ron thought about how Harry and Ginny's relationship had gotten a little more difficult than that, but the gist of the relationship was there.

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?" Hermione asked. Ron nodded at her, then pointed out a store.

"What does it sell there?" Ron asked. It looked like it may once have sold flowers, but it did not appear that way anymore.

"One of the wizards owns that. He changed it from a flower shop to a wizarding shop. No one ever thinks that it is not just a normal sporting goods store, because no one really suspects a thing, but if you know the password, you can go to the back room that has Quidditch supplies."

"That sounds pretty good," Ron said. "Is it open?" They walked down the sidewalk to the store, but seeing it was closed, Hermione said they would have to go back another day.

Hermione looked at her watch. "We should probably get home. My parents are going to wonder if we aren't home by midnight. Not that Mum and Dad really are worried about us, they are just protective."

Ron understood. He knew that while Harry and Ginny had been dating, if he had brought her home too late, all of them would have had his hide.  
They started to walk toward the road Hermione lived on, the entire time talking and holding hands. They got to Hermione's drive, and she led Ron to the door. She pointed up and he saw mistletoe, but he would have kissed her anyway. He tilted his head down to meet hers, and kissed her.


	2. Chapter 2

...But The Neighbors Ain't!

All movement seemed to stop as Ron kissed her. His hands gently moved around her hips to pull her closer to him, and her arms went around his neck. They broke apart and he smiled at him. She could not imagine another man that she could ever love more!  
They kissed again as she slipped in the door to her house. "Good night, Ron. I love you."  
"I love you more," Ron replied as she slunk into the house. He now could not wait to pay the final Galleons to purchase the ring that was perfect for her. As Ron skipped off the porch, he smiled so big he thought his face was never going to be the same!

The next morning, Hermione smiled to herself as she crawled out of her overly packed bed. The blankets had just been piled on top of her last night, and she threw them out of the way as she slipped into her slippers.

As she walked down the stairs to the kitchen, her mother was sitting at the table with a cup of tea.  
"How was last night, hun?" Emily asked.

"It was great, Mum!"

"I found the mistletoe that you conjured last night...he would have kissed you anyway!"

Hermione smiled at her mother. "I know he would have, but I thought that incase Mrs. Grady saw, we should have a reason for snogging. She is a little interesting when it comes to Ron and I's relationship."

"Very true. It was very smart of you to think that way," Emily said smiling at her daughter. She had never seen her as happy as when she was with Ron, or simply thinking about him.

The door bell rang and Emily Granger sighed. She was just sure that it was Mrs. Grady telling her what Ron and Hermione had been doing last night. She put on her best fake smile and opened the door.

"Why good morning, Mrs. Grady! How are you this good morning?"

"I am very well, thank you, but I would like to tell you what I saw last night! Your daughter," she saw Hermione standing in the kitchen, her hair mussed and still wearing her robe. Mrs. Grady gave her a look, and mumbled something that sounded like 'I thought so...'. "and this boy, a ginger I believe, were out gallivanting around the town!"

"Mrs. Grady, would you like to come have a cup of tea and discuss this with us? I would like to talk to you about my daughter and her boyfriend."

"Don't mind if I do!" she said as she moved the rest of the way into the kitchen. Emily grabbed the pot of tea and a few mugs and led the way into the living room.

"Now, Mrs. Grady. Tell me what you saw, and I will tell you what happened. Hermione, tell me if I am wrong."

"Well, I saw your daughter and this boy walking around the town, and they were holding hands and they were never more than a foot apart from each other! Your daughter should not be that close to a boy, even if she is nineteen! She should be going to a college and she should be spending her time focusing on her studies, not some boy!"

"Mrs. Grady," Hermione injected, "I should have you know that I am turning twenty in a few months, and I am attending a school to further my education, and I do spend a large amount of my time with studies, but I should also have you know that I am smart enough to make my own decisions with what boys I spend time with, but Ron is not just a boy. He is my boyfriend, and before that, he has been my best friend since I went to my secondary school. If you have a problem with the people I choose to spend my time with, then you should bring it to me, not my mum."

Mrs. Grady was silent for a moment before speaking again. "I understand what you are saying, Miss Granger, but you should remember that no matter how old you get, you are still only a young girl, and you should not just kiss boys that come every few months to visit. You need to be careful!"

"As I very well know! I know that I need to be careful, and I know that Ron may not seem like the best man in the world, but he is. He is the most wonderful, caring man that I have ever met, and I know that he would risk his life for me if it came to that. He loves me so much, and I have never wanted someone different. I have loved him since I was about sixteen, and I have been his best friend since I was eleven. I know that I need to be careful, but I believe that if my parents are alright with it, you should be as well."

"I understand," Mrs. Grady said standing from the couch. "I must be going now. I must be going, and I am sorry about all of the chaos I have caused today." With that, she left the room, and the Grangers heard the door close behind her.

"Well, I am glad that is over," Emily said as she moved back into the kitchen. "I approve of Ron, by the way. I see how much you love him, and I can see how much he loves you. It is the same love that I have had for your father for many years, and I could not be happier that you feel this way!"  
Hermione smiled at her mother. She was so happy that someone understood.

Ron ran to an open part of the Burrow and apparated. He chose to apparate to a hill outside of the park that he had seen last night on their walk. No one was anywhere around, and he was grateful for that.

As he made his way around the town to where Hermione's parents lived, he started to almost skip up the drive. Mrs. Grady saw him and approached. He almost backed up in fear. She was an older woman, but she could still move pretty fast.

"I would like a word with you, young man."

Ron gulped. "Of course, ma'am."

"She loves you. I hope you know that. I don't approve of her seeing you as much as she does and spending as much time gallivanting around as you do, but I hope you know that she loves you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Grady. I appreciate that."

"Yes, well, that is about all I wanted to say. Yes, have a good day, Mr..."

"Weasley, ma'am."

"Yes, Wesley. Have a good day, Mr. Wesley."

Ron was about to say something, but decided against it as she walked off.

When Ron made his way up to the door, he knocked. Emily opened it and let him in with a smile. Hermione came down the stairs a few minutes later to see who was there, and when she saw Ron she walked over to him quickly.

"Hermione, I have one question to ask you." He pulled the box out of his pocket and got down to one knee. "Will you marry me?"

'Never Kiss By The Garden Gate,  
Love May Be Blind,  
But The Neighbors Ain't!'

~Anonymous


End file.
